Folding crate



(ModeL) L. & 0Q KRIEOKHAUS.

FOLDING CRATE.

WWW fi ilnrrnn *rATEs LOUIS KRIEOKl-IAUS AND CHARLES KRIECKHAUS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,789, dated March 11, 1884.

Application filed January 3, 1864. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Lou s Knrnoicnaus and CHARLES KRIECKHAUS, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Folding Grates, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

Our invention relates to those folding crates in which the sides and ends are hinged to fold down; and our improvement consists in-the construction hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of our improved crate, parts being removed to exhibit portions of the interior. Fig. 2 is a similar view, representing our crate in knockdown or folded condition. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are portions of the crate, Fig. 3 showing the manner of connecting adjacent end posts in vertical position, Fig. 4 showing a side folded down, Fig. 5 showing a side and an end folded down, Fig. 6 showing the top applied to that shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7

showing the means and manner of securing and sidepieces, D.

the end of the top to the end post of a side,

Figs. 3, i, 5, and 6 being plan views, and Fig. 7 a vertical longitudinal section.

A represents the bottom of a crate; B, the sides, having end posts B"; O, the ends, having end posts G and-D the top, having end pieces, D, (formed with pin-holes D? and D*,) The posts of the sides are secured to the bottom by" hinges B and the posts of the ends arb similarly secured to the bottom by hinges ,0. The sides and ends are thus hinged "by their end posts to the bottom. The hinges of the sides are secured at the insides of the posts, so that they can be folded down inwardly and leave room outside of them for the end posts of the ends, the end posts of the ends resting on the bot tom, as well as the end posts of the sides. The top D is removable, and is held to the crate when in using position by pins D, inserted in the holes D in the end pieces, D, and holes in the upper ends of the adjacent end posts. Thus, when the sides and ends are raised and the top put in position,.-as shown in Fig. 1, and the pins D inserted, a rigid crate is formed, and by simply pulling the pins out and removing the top the sides and ends can be folded down, as described, and the top placed over them, as shown in Fig. 2, where it is held by the pins 1) being inserted in holes D of the end 1 pieces of the top and into the holes of the end posts of the sides. The pins thus secure the parts in folded condition as well as in theirusing position, and, being in use whether the crate is folded or not, are not liable to get lost. the crate is being filled, the pins can be temporarily placed in the adjacent end posts, to prevent any strain on the hinges. Boards 0 are preferably secured to the under side of the top, inside of the end pieces and between the side pieces, which, occupying a position between the tops of the adjacent posts of opposite sides of the crate, ten d to strengthen the structure in addition to the pins. lVhen the sides and ends are folded down, the boards occupy positions at rear of the ends. It will be seen that in this construction of crate the end posts, when turned down, rest on their sides on the bottom, and that the space occupied between the top and bottom by the sides and ends is reduced to a height equal to the thickness of an outside end post, and that the whole height of the crate is equal to the height or width of a side piece plus the thickness of the bottom.

7 e claim as our invention- 1. In a'folding crate, the combination of the bottom, the sides, the ends, and the top, the sides and the ends having end posts hinged to the bottom, to fold down with their sides and ends, and to rest on the bottom of the crate, and the top having side and end pieces to surround the sides and ends of the crate, whether the sides and ends of the crate are in vertical or horizontal position, as set forth.

2. In a folding crate, the combination of the bottom, the sides, the ends, and the top, the sides and ends having end posts formed with pinholes and hinged to the bottom, to fold down with their sides andends, and to rest on the bottom of the crate, and the top having side and end pieces to surround the sides and ends of the crate, whether the sides and ends of the crate are in vertical or horizontal position, the end pieces of the top having pinholes in line with the pin-holes in the end posts when the latter are in vertical position,

and pin-holes in line with the pinholes of the end posts of the sides of the crate when the either a position between the upper ends of 10 said sides and ends of the crate are i'olded the end posts on opposite sides, or when the down, as set forth. crate is folded occupying positions on the out- 3. In a folding crate, the top having side side of the ends of the crate, as set forth.

5 and end pieces and boards on its under side, LOUIS KRIEOKHAUS.

inside of the end pieces and between the side i CHARLES KRIECKHAUS. pieces, in combination with a bottom and sides In presence ofand ends having end posts and hinged to fold G120. H. KNIGHT, down inwardly, the said boards to ocenpy BEXJX. A. KNIGHT. e 

